Northampton 31 Leeds 24: Carnegie hang by a thread

One more try would have seen Leeds avoid relegation — their fate now lies with the result of the Championship playoff

Northampton will hope for more from Chris Ashton in the playoffs (Paul Childs)

This was an incredible afternoon, bearing not so much the arrows of outrageous
fortune as the daggers. Leeds Carnegie, needing two points to overtake
Newcastle Falcons, led by 24-3 in the first half. They had scored three
tries and so needed one more and to finish within seven of the Saints to
escape bottom place. Agonisingly, even though they battled heroically
throughout, that try would not come.

They had been hammered for territory and possession throughout the second half
but they mounted their single significant attack of the half as the clock
died. The amazing Hendre Fourie and Scott Barrow broke into space near the
Northampton line to give them hope but the Saints managed to turn the ball
over and a referee who had absolutely pulverised Leeds through the afternoon
blew the final whistle.

Leeds must now rely on Cornish Pirates, who play Worcester in the two-leg
Championship playoff.